Safety prescription container

ABSTRACT

A container for holding a prescription pills or other medication that includes a cylindrical receptacle, a detachable cap, and a label. A pill holder is positioned beneath the cap, which includes a magnifying lens, through which the interior of the pill holder can be viewed. The label includes the name of the prescribed medicine and a picture of a pill. When the prescription if filled, one pill is placed in the pill holder. The pill and the pill picture can then be compared to determine if the correct medicine has been provided. The label is prepared by providing a processor having a keyboard, a database including data relating to images of a plurality of prescription medicine pills, a label printer, and an unprinted label; entering the name of the prescription medicine into the processor; selecting an image of a pill in the database corresponding to the name; and printing the name and the selected image onto the label.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a container for holdingprescription medicine in pill or capsule form, and in particular to acontainer incorporating features to reduce the risk of harm to thepatient in the event that the prescription is erroneously filled.

2. Description of the Prior Art

All too frequently, errors are made by pharmacists or their assistantsin filling prescriptions. Some of these errors are caught by the patientwho notices the difference in the medication compared to medicationpreviously obtained for the same prescription. However, under certaincircumstances, the patient may not notice the error. For example, theerroneous medication, e.g., a pill, and the correct pill may be similarin appearance, or the error may occur the first time that theprescription is being filled. In other instances, the patient may simplyfail to notice the mistake because differences in size and/or color ofthe pills are difficult to detect, particularly if the patient has lessthan perfect vision.

Errors in the filling of prescriptions can arise from a variety ofcircumstances. In many instances, the error can be attributed to theinattention of the pharmacist, particularly during times when there is aneed to fill a large number of prescriptions. Also, the error can beoccasioned by the lack of experience of the pharmacist with theparticular prescription, or the general lack of experience of thepharmacist's assistant. Other errors can be caused by the similarity ofunrelated pills in color and/or shape. Errors can also arise from namesimilarities, e.g., Feldene/Seldane, Lodine/Codeine, or Prilosec/Prozac.

Errors by pharmacists will continue to occur. Those errors that are notcaught by the patient as least deprive the patient of the benefit of theprescribed medication. At worst, the errors can result in death orserious injury. In addition, malpractice errors can result inconsiderable expense to the negligent pharmacist, or his or her insurer.

Due to the large number of prescription drugs, elimination of pills withsimilar colors, shapes and/or names is mathematically impossible. Infact, the extent of the problem will increase over time as new drugsbecome available. Human error will also continue. Therefore, there is apressing and increasing need for a means to detect erroneously filledprescriptions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to improved containers forprescription drugs, and in particular to improved prescription drugcontainers incorporating means to aid the pharmacist and the patient innoting when an error has been made in the filling of the prescription.

The present invention is particularly directed to prescriptioncontainers to the kind used to hold prescription medicines sold in solidform, e.g., pills, tablets, caplets, suppositories, or capsules. Thesemedications in solid form will be referred to herein for convenience andbrevity, as pills. Generally, these containers are comprised of areceptacle into which the pills are placed through an opening, a cap orcover attachable over the opening and a label that is affixed to thereceptacle. It will be understood, however, that the concepts formingthe basis of the present invention can also be applied to medications innon-solid forms, such liquids, ointments, or gels, etc., and to otherreceptacle configurations.

The receptacle is normally of a cylindrical shape, having a continuousside wall with continuous upper and lower edges, and a bottom wall orbase extending across the lower edge of the side wall. The receptacle isnormally threaded adjacent the upper edge of the side wall to receive acorrespondingly threaded cap used to close the receptacle opening formedby the upper edge of the side wall.

The wall may be threaded on its outer surface, its inner surface, orboth, depending upon the particular cap design. Additionally, the wallmay include locking projections on its exterior surface adjacent theupper edge, forming part of a childproof locking mechanism. Usually, thewall and bottom are integrally molded from a transparent, coloredplastic.

The cap is normally molded from an opaque plastic material and isdesigned to be secured over the receptacle opening. Usually, the cap iscomprised of a planar top wall with a circular periphery, and acontinuous integral side wall that extends downwardly from the peripheryof the top wall. The side wall may be internally or internally threadedto join with the receptacle.

The cap may be simply threaded or screwed onto the top of thereceptacle. In so-called childproof caps, the interior of the cap sidewall is normally threaded and includes locking projections to join withexternal locking projections on the corresponding receptacle. Theselocking projections function in a known manner and are not per se a partof the present invention.

In some designs, the receptacle is internally and externally threaded.The cap used with these receptacles includes a first continuous walldesigned to fit around the exterior of the receptacle. In addition, thecap includes a second continuous wall, integrally joined to one edge ofthe first wall by a horizontal flange, to fit into the interior of thereceptacle. In this design, the cover will normally extend across theexterior edge of the second wall to enclose the receptacle contents.

When a prescription is to be filled, the pharmacist, or his or herassistant, selects a large container of pills corresponding to themedication to be prescribed, transfers the designated number of pillsfrom the large container to a receptacle, and caps the receptacle withits matching cap. An instruction sheet may also be included on or in thereceptacle. The pharmacist or assistant then types information about theprescription onto a label, and attaches the label to the wall of thereceptacle.

Labels are normally pre-printed with standard information common to allprescriptions filled at the particular pharmacy, including the name,address and telephone number of the pharmacy. Information unique to theprescription, such as the patient's name, doctor's name, the name of theprescribed medicine, instructions for use, number of refills, etc,. arethen typed onto the label at the time the prescription is filled.

Historically, pre-printed labels were supplied in rolls, and the uniqueinformation was typed onto the label using a typewriter. Today, theunique information may typed onto the label using a computer equippedwith conventional word processing software. However, most modempharmacies use either a computer equipped with software especiallydesigned to print labels, which may be a normal desktop computer, or acomputer especially designed for this purpose. Output from the computeris sent to a conventional printer, such as an ink jet or laser printer,or a label printer especially designed to print labels.

The present invention is directed to two modifications of the abovecontainers and the related procedures for their preparation that may beused alone or in combination to significantly increase the likelihoodthat the pharmacist or the patient will detect an error in filling theprescription in question. One of these improvements relates to animproved cap forming a part of this type of container, while the otherimprovement, which can be used alone or with the cap improvement,relates to an improved label.

With conventional prescription containers such as described above, thecontents of the container is difficult to see since the receptacle,while usually transparent, is of a bronze or other color to protect thecontents from deterioration caused by light. Additionally, the contentsare at least partially hidden by the opaque container cap and the labelcovering most of the receptacle side wall. Thus, the patient, as well asthe pharmacist, is prevented from seeing the container contents.

Ready identification of the container contents is further restricted bythe size of the pills and the fact that any identification on the pills,such as the drug name, is in a small font, and may be impressed into thepill during manufacture so that the name is the same color as the pill.If the pharmacist could easily see the pills in containers that havebeen filled by others, such as his or her assistants, and if the patientcould easily see the contents at the time of purchase, many of theerrors could be caught before the pills are ingested.

Unlike prior art prescription container caps, the caps of the presentinvention facilitate viewing of the interior contents, by creating aseparate pill chamber within the cap, with the chamber including atransparent covering so that the contents of the cap can be easilyviewed. At the time the prescription if filled, the person filling theprescription places one pill from the prescription in the chamber.

Preferably, the cover is clear to facilitate viewing of the interiorcontents. However, a transparent covering of a bronze or other shadingis also contemplated by the invention, so that the contents of thechamber can be protected from exposure to light. Additionally, thechamber top includes a magnifying lens, permitting the viewer to moreeasily read any indicia on the pill within the chamber.

Thus, the cap is comprised of a transparent top cover through which thecontents of the chamber can be viewed, and means for attaching the capover the receptacle opening. Preferably, the transparent cover includesa magnifier. The cap preferably also includes a chamber beneath thetransparent cover for holding a pill for viewing.

For example, the cap can be formed of a continuous side wall having anupper edge and a lower edge, a lower cover extending across the sidewall intermediate the upper and lower edges, threads on the side wallbetween the lower cover and the lower edge, and a detachable transparenttop cover including a magnifier across the side wall.

With this configuration, a chamber is defined by the upper and lowercovers and the continuous side wall. This chamber may be accessed bydetaching, i.e., opening, the top cover to insert a pill. The pill canthen be viewed through the transparent top cover, with the details ofthe pill being magnified for easy identification. Alternatively, insteadof using a chamber, the cap can be removed and used to view of pill thatis removed from the receptacle.

The threads can be formed on the interior or exterior surface of thecap, depending upon the particular container design. In addition, thecap can include a component of a locking means to render the capchildproof, with the corresponding component of the locking means beinglocated on the receptacle.

After reading this disclosure, other cap configurations will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art. The exact means for attaching thecap to the receptacle is not critical to the present invention, so longas the cap includes a magnifier, i.e., a transparent convex portionwhich increases the apparent size of the pill in the chamber when viewedthrough the magnifier, and preferably a pill chamber beneath thetransparent covering to hold the pill.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the labeling of theprescription to reduce errors. In the present invention, labels for theprescription containers are prepared, as with the prior art, using aprocessor, e.g., a desktop computer, or a computer especially designedas a label printer. The label is operatively connected to a printer,which may be a standard ink jet, bubble or laser printer, or a printerespecially designed to print labels.

The processor, like the prior art, also includes software to format thelabels. Unlike the prior art, the software used in the present inventionis especially written to recognize the names of drugs as the drug namesare typed onto the labels, and includes a database comprised of graphicimages of various drugs. The software is written to compare drug namesas the names are typed onto the labels and select an image of a pillcorresponding to the drug name. The software then instructs the printerto print a color image of the pill onto the label during printing.

In order to facilitate comparison, the image of the pill is preferablyof the same size and color as the actual pill. However, the image can belarger or smaller than the actual pill. Additional information orinstructions can also be printed, such as the indicia that is printedonto, or impressed into, the pill.

Thus, the completed label, in addition to the name of the drug and othergeneral and specific information of the type normally found on aprescription label, will also include an image of the pill present inthe labeled container. The patient, before taking a pill, only needs tocompare the actual pill with the pill image on the label to determine ifthe pills match. If so, the patient can be confident that the name ofthe pill on the label is the same as the pill in the container.

Therefore, in this aspect of the invention, the complete container willbe comprised of a receptacle containing a the given medication, a cap toclose the receptacle, and a label attached to the receptacle, the labelhaving printed thereon the name of the given medication and an imagecorresponding to the medication.

When combined with the above-described cap in another aspect of theinvention, the final product will be comprised of a receptaclecontaining a plurality of a given pill; a cap to close the receptacle,the cap including a chamber with a transparent cover containing one ofthe given pills; and a label attached to the receptacle, the labelhaving printed thereon the name of the given pill and an image of thepill. Preferably, the transparent cover is in the shape of a magnifyinglens to facilitate comparison of the pill in the chamber with the imageof the pill on the label.

When a prescription is correctly filled, the pharmacist or assistantwill select the supply container containing the prescribed drug, andtransfer the prescribed number of pills to a receptacle, placing one onthe prescribed pills in the chamber of the cap. The name of theprescription drug and other related information will then be typed ontoa label using the processor.

As the name of the drug is typed, the software will compare the drugname with a database of medication or pill images, and select the imagecorresponding to the name of the typed drug. When the signal is sentfrom the processor to the printer, the printer will also be instructedto print a color image of the pill or other medication onto the label,e.g., near one corner of the label.

The same steps will be followed if the pharmacist or assistant selectsthe wrong supply container. However, when the product is complete, thepharmacist, or the patient, needs only to compare the actual pill housedin the cap chamber with the image of the pill on the label to realizethat an error has been made. Additionally, the patient can compare thecontents of the receptacle with the label image at the time themedication is consumed. For example, the patient can hold a pill in hisor her hand, and view the pill with the magnifying cap, to compare thepill and image.

The preceding and other aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the followingdescription of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prescription container showing oneform of the cap of the present invention in combination with the labelof the invention.

FIG. 2 is sectional side view of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of another prescription container with adifferent cap embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the invention is which the magnifier lens ispositioned in the bottom of the prescription container, and used incombination with a conventional lens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, terms such as horizontal, upright,vertical, above, below, beneath, and the like, are used solely for thepurpose of clarity in illustrating the invention, and should not betaken as words of limitation. The drawings are for the purpose ofillustrating the invention and are not intended to be to scale.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate a prescription bottle,generally 10, embodying both a cap, generally 12, and a label 14 of thepresent invention. Cap 12 is comprised of an annular rim 16 having acentral opening into which is fitted a magnifying lens 18 positionedtransverse to the longitudinal axis of an attached receptacle 20. Rim 16is internally threaded for attachment to externally threaded receptacle20.

Cap 12 further includes a pill holder 22 having a continuous curved wall24 terminating in an opening defined by a terminal edge adapted to befrictionally inserted into engagement with an inner wall 26 of rim 16 tocreate a pill chamber 28 beneath lens 18. Holder 22 also includes acentral tab 30 centrally positioned on the exterior of wall 24 tofacilitate insertion and removal of holder 22 into rim 16.

Label 14 includes information about the patient and the productincluding the product name or other product identification.Additionally, and unique to the present invention, label 14 alsoincludes a printed picture 32 of a pill that corresponds the productname printed on label 14. Both the product name and picture 32 areprinted onto label 14 at the time the prescription is filled. A pill 34,is also shown positioned within chamber 28 for comparison with picture32.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention using a cap,generally 40, which can be used either as a childproof cap, or as anadult cap. Cap 40 is illustrated attached to a receptacle 42 in the"adult" position. Cap 40 is comprised of an annular rim 44 with opposedopen ends. One end of rim 44 terminates in an internally threaded,continuous inner wall 46 for attachment to external threads of areceptacle like receptacle 20, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The opposedend of rim 44 terminates in an exterior threaded, continuous outer wall48 for attachment to internal threads 50 of receptacle 42.

Rim 44 further includes a first continuous internal attachment wall 52immediately inside of, and adjacent to, wall 46. A second continuousinternal attachment wall 54 is located immediately inside of, andadjacent to, wall 48. Walls 44, 46, 52 and 54 are all circular, and havea common central axis. As illustrated, walls 52 and 54 are of the samediameter.

Cap 40 also includes a pill holder 56, having the same configuration asholder 22 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Holder 56, in this embodiment, includes acontinuous curved wall 58 terminating in an opening defined by aterminal edge 60, and a central tab 62 centrally positioned on theexterior of wall 26 to facilitate insertion and removal of holder 56.Edge 60 is sized to be frictionally inserted into rim 44 against eitherwall 52 or 54, depending upon the manner in which cap 40 is to be used.

A magnifying lens is 64 is positioned within the interior of rim 44between walls 52 and 54, and transverse to the central axis of cap 40.As illustrated in FIG. 3, edge is frictionally inserted into engagementwith the inner surface of wall 54 to create a pill chamber 66 beneathlens 64. A pill 68 is shown positioned within chamber 66 and spacedbeneath lens 64. Label 70 that includes an illustration of a pillcorresponding to the printed name of the medication is attached to theouter wall of receptacle 42.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which aconventional cap, generally 80, is attached to a receptacle, generally82, formed of a continuous side wall 84 that terminates in an externallythreaded upper edge 86. Cap 80 includes an internally threaded rim 86that attaches to edge 86. Receptacle 82 also has a bottom wall 88 thatincludes a central magnifying lens 90 oriented transverse to thelongitudinal axis of receptacle 82, and a transversely oriented pillsupport wall 92 spaced above lens 90. A label 94 is attached to theexterior of wall 84. Label 94 may be of a design like label 14 in FIGS.1 and 2, with a printed picture of a pill corresponding to the name ofthe medication printed on label 94.

In preparing a prescription in accordance with the present inventionusing the container illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pharmacist, or hisor her assistant, selects the appropriate supply container of thedesired pills and inserts all but one of the prescribed number of pillsinto receptacle 20. The remaining pill 34 is then placed in holder 22,which is frictionally secured to rim 16 of cap 12, and cap 12 isattached to the top of receptacle 20.

A label for the container is prepared using a computer or processor thatincludes a stored database of pill images, and software for identifyingnames of drugs typed into the processor during label preparation, andfor selecting the pill image corresponding to the type name.

After typing the information for the label, the processor is instructedto print the label on an attached printer. Upon receipt of the printinstruction, the processor transmits to the printer print instructionsincluding the typed information and an image of a pill corresponding tothe name of the medication typed onto the label. Both the typedinformation and a colored picture of the selected pill are then printedby the printer onto a form label. An additional image can be printed onany instructional material.

After the label is attached to the container, the pharmacist can lookthrough the lens at the representative pill and compare the pill withthe printed picture of the pill on the label to ensure that they match.Similarly, the patient, upon receiving the prescription, can make thesame comparison. If the incorrect supply container is selected, therepresentative pill and the picture will not match, thereby immediatelyalerting the pharmacist, or the patient, to the fact that an error hasbeen made.

The embodiment of the invention in FIG. 3 is used in the same manner asthe embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, with holder 56 being attached to theside of rim 44 to be attached to receptacle 42.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 utilizes the sameprinciples, but is used in a slightly different manner. With thisembodiment all of the prescribed pills are placed inside receptacle 82and cap 80 is attached. Label 94 is prepared at described above for theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. When comparing the actual pills with thepicture on the label, however, the pharmacist raises container and viewsthe pill through lens 90 with the container in an upright position.Support wall 92 spaces the pills in receptacle 82 above lens 90 toachieve the desired magnification.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It should beunderstood that all such modifications and improvements have beendeleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but areproperly within the scope of the follow claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container for holding a prescription medicinecomprising:a) a receptacle having a continuous side wall with a loweredge and an upper edge, and a bottom wall extending across said loweredge, said upper edge forming an opening into said receptacle; b) aremovable cap covering said opening, said cap including a magnifierwhereby prescription medicine placed in said receptacle can be viewedthrough said magnifier when said cap is covering said receptacleopening; wherein said cap has an inner surface, said container furtherincluding a prescription medicine chamber releasable attached to theinner surface of said cap, said chamber being viewable through saidmagnifier and c) a label attached to said continuous side wall, saidlabel having printed thereon the name of said prescription medicine andan image of said prescription medicine.
 2. The container of claim 1,wherein said prescription medicine is in the form of pills, and saidimage is an image of one of said pills.
 3. The container of claim 1,wherein said label is rectangular and said image is printed adjacent onecorner of said label.
 4. A container for holding a prescription medicinein pill form comprising:a) a receptacle having a continuous side wallwith a lower edge and an upper edge, and a bottom wall extending acrosssaid lower edge, said an upper edge forming an opening into saidreceptacle; b) a removable cap adapted to cover said receptacle opening,said cap including an annular rim with an inner wall and a centralopening, and magnifying lens within said central opening; c) adetachable pill holder having a continuous curved wall terminating in anopening defined by a terminal edge adapted to be frictionally insertedinto engagement with the inner wall of said cap rim to form a pillchamber beneath said magnifying lens, said chamber being viewablethrough said magnifying lens; and d) a label attached to said continuousside wall, said label having printed thereon the name of saidprescription medicine and an image of one of said pills.
 5. Thecontainer of claim 4, wherein said pills are of a given size and color,and said image is of approximately the same size and color as saidpills.
 6. A container holding a prescription medicine in pill formcomprising:a) a receptacle having a continuous side wall with a loweredge and upper edge, and a bottom wall extending across said lower edge,said an upper edge forming an opening into said receptacle, saidreceptacle containing a plurality of said pills; b) a removable capadapted to cover said receptacle opening, said cap including an annularrim with an inner wall and a central opening, and magnifying lens withinsaid central opening; c) a detachable pill holder beneath saidmagnifying lens, at least one of said pills being positioned in saidchamber, said pill being viewable through said magnifying lens; and d) alabel attached to said continuous side wall, said label having printedthereon the name of said prescription medicine and an image of one ofsaid pills, whereby a user can view and compare a pill in the chamberthrough the cap without removing the cap from the receptacle with animage of the same pill on the label to determine that the pills in thereceptacle are the same as the pill image and name of the prescriptionmedicine on the label.
 7. The container of claim 6, wherein said pillholder has a continuous curved wall terminating in an opening defined bya terminal edge adapted to be frictionally inserted into engagement withthe inner wall of said cap.
 8. The container of claim 6, wherein saidpills are of a given size and color, and said image is of approximatelythe same size and color as said pills.